US trade war will only make us stronger, China's top paper says

China's state planner says trade frictions with the United States has had some impact on China's economy, but it was "controllable" and countermeasures would be rolled-out when needed to "keep economic operations within reasonable range".

China Telecom technicians test an equipment at the 5G network base station near Yellow River in Lanzhou, Gansu province, China May 16, 2019.
Reuters

China Telecom technicians test an equipment at the 5G network base station near Yellow River in Lanzhou, Gansu province, China May 16, 2019.

The trade war with the United States will only make China stronger and will never bring the country to its knees, the Communist Party's People's Daily wrote in a front page commentary that evoked the patriotic spirit of past wars.

The world's two largest economies are locked in an increasingly acrimonious trade dispute that has seen them level tariffs on each other's imports.

Tensions worsened this week after the Trump administration officially added China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd to a trade blacklist, immediately enacting restrictions that will make it extremely difficult for the telecom giant to do business with US companies.

In a stridently nationalistic commentary, the ruling party's official newspaper described China's determination to protect it national interests and dignity as being as "firm as a boulder".

"The trade war can't bring China down. It will only harden us to grow stronger," it said.

"What kind of storms have not been seen, what bumps have not experienced for China, with its more than 5,000 years of civilization? In the face of hurricanes, the nearly 1.4 billion Chinese people have confidence and stamina."

China's confidence comes from the spirit of its people's perseverance and endless struggle, it added, citing major disasters like floods, SARS and 2008's massive Sichuan earthquake.

"From the Opium War to the Sino-Japanese War to the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea - disaster and misery have come one after the other, tempering the Chinese people, pushing Chinese society to forge ahead in setbacks and move forward in adversity." 

Economic impact of US trade tensions "controllable

China's state planner said on Friday trade frictions with the United States has had some impact on China's economy, but it was "controllable" and countermeasures would be rolled-out when needed to "keep economic operations within reasonable range".

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) gave its assessment during a press conference held in Beijing.

China reported surprisingly weaker growth in retail sales and industrial output for April on Wednesday, adding pressure on Beijing to roll out more stimulus as the t rade war with the United States escalates.

Route 6